§ 172-c. Non-resident charitable organizations; designation of secretary of state as agent for service of process; service of process. 1. Any charitable organization having its principal place of business without the state or organized under and by virtue of the laws of another or foreign state and which solicits contributions from people in this state, shall be deemed to have irrevocably appointed the secretary of state as its agent upon whom may be served any summons, subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, other process or notice directed to such charitable organization, or any partner, principal, officer, trustee or director thereof, in any action or proceeding brought by the attorney general or any other party under the provisions of this article. Any such charitable organization may file with the secretary of state of the state of New York a designation, duly acknowledged in accordance with procedures for such filing with the secretary of state, irrevocably appointing the secretary of state as its agent upon whom may be served any such process; provided, however, that a designation filed with the secretary of state pursuant to section three hundred fifty-two-a of the general business law or section thirteen hundred four of the not-for-profit corporation law shall serve also as such designation.

2. Service of such process upon the secretary of state shall be made by personally delivering to and leaving with the secretary of state or any person authorized by the secretary of state to accept such service a copy thereof at the office of the department of state in the city of Albany, and such service shall be sufficient service provided that notice of such service and a copy of such process are forthwith sent by the attorney general or any other party to such charitable organization by certified mail with return receipt requested, at its office as set forth in the registration form required to be filed with the attorney general pursuant to section one hundred seventy-two of this article, or in default of the filing of such form, at the last address known to the attorney general or any other party. Service of such process shall be complete upon the receipt by the attorney general or any other party of a return receipt purporting to be signed by the addressee or a person qualified to receive its certified mail, in accordance with the rules and customs of the post office department, or, if acceptance was refused by the addressee or its agent, ten days after the return to the attorney general or any other party of a notation by the postal authorities that receipt thereof was refused.